Error Examples WRONG: Running home from school, a dog bit me. RIGHT: Running home from school, I was bitten by a dog. WRONG: When only a child, my father took me to the circus. RIGHT: When only a child, I was taken to the circus by my father. WRONG: Hidden in his pocket, George left the room with the key. RIGHT: Having hidden the key in his pocket, George left the room. WRONG: To understand the directions, they must be read carefully. RIGHT: To understand the directions, one must read them carefully. Skill Builder 3: Dangling Modifiers Directions: Write a “C” on the line if the sentence is correct. Write an “X” on the line if there is a dangling-modifier error. 1. Playing in the street, the truck hit the child. 2. By painting and repairing as needed, your home can be kept in good condition. 3. Before leaving, Jane kissed me goodbye. 4. Addressed and stamped, I dropped the letter in the slot. 5. While a student at college, my mother met my father. 6. Walking toward the church, the stained-glass windows looked beautiful. 7. To understand the subject, a great deal of studying must be done. 8. Skiing down the steep hill, my heart beat crazily. 9. Watching her daughter play, Mary thought about life as a mother. 10. Once learned, a language cannot easily be forgotten. 11. When only a child, my father taught me how to play soccer. 12. Studying and reading, the day passed quickly. 13. To make a good cup of coffee, one must begin with high-quality coffee beans. 14. Sitting alone in his room, the strange noise frightened him. 15. Wrapped in pretty, green paper, Phyllis put the package on the table. Chapter 3: Modifiers 31 www.petersons.com Answers X 1. (Playing in the street, the child was hit by the truck.) X 2. (By painting and repairing as needed, one can keep one’s home in good condition.) C 3. X 4. (After I had addressed and stamped the letter, I dropped it in the slot.) C 5. X 6. (Walking toward the church, I noticed the beautiful stained- glass windows.) X 7. (To understand the subject, one must do a great deal of studying.) X 8. (Skiing down the steep hill, I felt my heart beat crazily.) C 9. C 10. X 11. (When I was only a child,my father taught me how to play soccer.) X 12. (Studying and reading, I passed the day quickly.) C 13. X 14. (Sitting alone in his room, he was frightened by the strange noise.) X 15. (Having wrapped the package in pretty green paper, Phyllis put it on the table.) ADJECTIVE/ADVERB CONFUSION 1. Adjectives modify nouns (N) and pronouns. His recent ADJ. accident N caused a sudden ADJ. change N in his behavior. He PRON. is intelligent. ADJ. 2. Adverbs modify verbs (V). He had VERB an accident recently ADV. , and his behavior changed VERB suddenly ADV. . He spoke VERB intelligently ADV. . 3. Adverbs also modify adjectives. He grew an especially ADV. small ADJ. tree. He was a highly ADV. motivated ADJ. young man. It was a cleverly ADV. planned ADJ. operation. 4. Adverbs also modify other adverbs. She could run very ADV. quickly ADJ. . 32 PART III: TOEFL Writing Review NOTE a. Most adverbs end in -ly. b. Some words have the same for m for the adjective and adverb: Adjective Adverb late late fast fast hard hard (Do not add -ly to these words.) c. The adverb for the adjective good is well . www.petersons.com Error Examples WRONG: Do it carefully, if not perfect. RIGHT: Do it carefully, if not perfectly. WRONG: He is an extreme pleasant person. RIGHT: He is an extremely pleasant person. WRONG: It was an interesting designed museum. RIGHT: It was an interestingly designed museum. WRONG: He worked hardly at the factory all day. RIGHT: He worked hard at the factory all day. WRONG: You should order that book real soon. RIGHT: You should order that book really soon. WRONG: My sister plays the piano very good. RIGHT: My sister plays the piano very well. Skill Builder 4: Adjective/Adverb Confusion Directions: Write a “C” on the line if the sentence is correct. Write an “X” on the line if there is an adjective or adverb error. 1. The bus arrived lately, so I missed my first class. 2. We did not pass the test, but we certainly tried hard. 3. The train left at exactly 5:00 p.m. 4. When Ms. Smith went to Germany, she bought an exquisitely carved vase. 5. They had a real good chance of winning the national competition. 6. Computers process data efficiently. 7. We worked hard and saved enough money to take a trip. 8. There was a hasty called meeting to discuss the bus strike. 9. He was thorough interested in the subject. 10. That dress fits her perfectly. 11. She likes her students to arrive prompt for class. 12. We studied really hard for the test. 13. He was bright and attractive. 14. The child ran fastly to get to school. 15. He wrote his paper really good. 16. The careful organized tour of the city was a huge success. 17. You cannot possibly imagine how embarrassed I was yesterday. 18. Although he plays soccer well, he plays tennis bad. 19. I read an interestingly written report. 20. The time went by very fastly on our vacation. Chapter 3: Modifiers 33 www.petersons.com Answers X 1. (late). See note b. C 2. C 3. C 4. Note: In this sentence, the adverb exquisitely modifies the adjective carved; however, a similar sentence could be constructed using the adjec- tive exquisite to modify the noun vase ( anexquisite, carved vase). X 5. (really good chance). See rule 3. C 6. C 7. X 8. (hastily called). See rule 3. X 9. (thoroughly interested). See rule 3. C 10. X 11. (to arrive promptly). See rule 2. C 12. C 13. X 14. (fast). See note b. X 15. (really well). See rule 2 and note c. X 16. (carefully organized). See rule 3. C 17. X 18. (plays tennis badly). See rule 2. C 19. X 20. (very fast). See note b. ADJECTIVES AFTER VERBS OF SENSATION The following verbs of sensation are generally followed by adjectives*, not by adverbs: feel, look, seem, appear, taste, smell, and sound. He feels VERB bad ADJ. . The soup smells VERB delicious ADJ. . She looked VERB nervous ADJ. before the test. Error Examples WRONG: Those flowers smell sweetly. RIGHT: Those flowers smell sweet. WRONG: That loud music sounds badly to me. RIGHT: That loud music sounds bad to me. WRONG: He looks handsomely in black. RIGHT: He looks handsome in black. * These are also called “predicate adjectives.” 34 PART III: TOEFL Writing Review www.petersons.com Skill Builder 5: Adjectives after Verbs of Sensation Directions: Write a “C” on the line if the sentence is correct. Write an “X” on the line if there is an adjective or adverb error. 1. I felt sadly when I read the letter. 2. That gossip sounds malicious. 3. The wine tastes awfully, like vinegar. 4. The girls look adorable in their party costumes. 5. Our neighbor’s music sounded loudly last night. 6. Laurie seemed quiet after she read her friend’s letter. 7. The roses and lilacs smell nicely every spring. 8. Do not drink that milk; it tastes sourly. 9. My sister has always looked heavy because she has broad shoulders. 10. He appeared nervously as he began to take the exam. Answers X 1. (sad) C 2. X 3. (awful) C 4. X 5. (loud) C 6. X 7. (nice) X 8. (sour) C 9. X 10. (nervous) NOUN ADJECTIVES The first noun (N) in the following pattern is used as an adjective. You are all language N students N . a. When nouns are used as adjectives, they do not have plural or possessive forms. b. EXCEPTIONS: The following nouns always end in -s but are singular in number when they are used as names of courses or sciences: physics, mathematics, economics. He is an economics N teacher N . BUT: The current economic ADJ. situation N is extremely uncertain. Chapter 3: Modifiers 35 www.petersons.com Error Examples WRONG: He is taking some histories classes this semester. RIGHT: He is taking some history classes this semester. WRONG: John turned in his term’s paper this morning. RIGHT: John turned in his term paper this morning. WRONG: My friend is an economic major. RIGHT: My friend is an economics major. Skill Builder 6: Noun Adjectives Directions: Write a “C” on the line if the sentence is correct. Write an “X” on the line if there is an error in the noun adjective. 1. Tom drove past the police’s station on his way to work. 2. Joan Sutherland is my favorite opera singer. 3. I need to have my car’s license renewed. 4. During the power shortage, the streets lights went out. 5. He wanted to take an economic class. 6. Many people are worried about the current world’s situation. 7. The news reporter was at the scene of the accident. 8. Phyllis and Julie put up the party decorations. 9. Three footballs teams were tied for first place. 10. Mike is the new mathematics professor. 11. We need some paper napkins for the picnic. 12. The students did not like the dormitory’s rules. 13. The marble floor felt like ice. 14. The television’s repairman picked up my television set this morning. 15. I went to three dances recitals last year. 16. John bought some leather gloves yesterday. 17. I need to buy a plane’s ticket. 18. He took many languages courses when he was in New York. 19. She put a new table lamp in her living room. 20. He is taking an advanced physic course this semester. 36 PART III: TOEFL Writing Review www.petersons.com Answers X 1. (police station). See note a. C 2. X 3. (car license). See note a. X 4. (street lights). See note a. X 5. (an economics class). See note b. X 6. (world situation). See note a. C 7. C 8. X 9. (football teams). See note a. C 10. C 11. X 12. (dormitory rules). See note a. C 13. X 14. (television repairman). See note a. X 15. (dance recitals). See note a. C 16. X 17. (plane ticket). See note a. X 18. (language courses). See note a. C 19. X 20. (physics course). See note b. HYPHENATED OR COMPOUND ADJECTIVES Nouns (N) are sometimes found as part of hyphenated or compound adjectives (adjectives of more than one word joined by hyphens). These nouns are never plural. I bought a four-hundred-year-old HYPHENATED ADJ. painting in Hong Kong. The president gave a ten-minute HYPHENATED ADJ. speech. Error Examples WRONG: I lived in a two-hundred-years-old house in Rome. RIGHT: I lived in a two-hundred-year-old house in Rome. WRONG: He bought a three-hundred-dollars suit. RIGHT: He bought a three-hundred-dollar suit. WRONG: The teacher told us to read the five-hundred-pages book. RIGHT: The teacher told us to read the five-hundred-page book. WRONG: I have four fifty-minutes classes every day. RIGHT: I have four fifty-minute classes every day. WRONG: She has just bought a new four-doors Ford. RIGHT: She has just bought a new four-door Ford. Chapter 3: Modifiers 37 www.petersons.com . cleverly ADV. planned ADJ. operation. 4. Adverbs also modify other adverbs. She could run very ADV. quickly ADJ. . 32 PART III: TOEFL Writing Review NOTE a. Most adverbs end in -ly. b. Some words have the same for m for the. black. RIGHT: He looks handsome in black. * These are also called “predicate adjectives.” 34 PART III: TOEFL Writing Review www.petersons.com Skill Builder 5: Adjectives after Verbs of Sensation Directions:. table lamp in her living room. 20. He is taking an advanced physic course this semester. 36 PART III: TOEFL Writing Review www.petersons.com Answers X 1. (police station). See note a. C 2. X 3.